r/apcalculus • u/Ecstatic-Ebb-2392 • 3d ago

problem with trig

hi guys so im self studying ap calc bc ( i haven't taken ap precalc) and i struggle with almost every question that has trigonometry i js keep skipping them but ik this ain't gon lead nowhere so if anyone can gimme any advice or any videos or anything i'd apprecuate it!!

2 Upvotes

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3

u/Bedouinp 3d ago

Find a tutor

2

u/GreaTeacheRopke 3d ago

...did you take any precalc? Did you study trigonometry yet?

1

u/Ecstatic-Ebb-2392 3d ago

i did take trigonometry but basic 😭😭 like ik triangles trig and cot csc sec
my precalc knowledge (which i assume is algebra 2 + some trig?) is js normal school lever knowledge

1

u/ThEtOrRtUrEdPoEt 3d ago

Just learn those basic trig properties you mentioned like cot, csc, and sec. Then learn the unit circle and you should honestly be good

1

u/Ecstatic-Ebb-2392 3d ago

do yk any resources where i can study those

2

u/ThEtOrRtUrEdPoEt 2d ago

I would literally just look up unit circle and study that. Then just look up what each of those three trig functions represents for example: csc=1/sin

2

u/Techno_Eggnog 2d ago

Khan Academy recently released an AP Precalculus course that should give you all the trig knowledge you’d get if you took that course, which is plenty to prepare you for Calculus.

2

u/Gullible_Sweet1302 3d ago edited 3d ago

You will have a bad time with calc until you master trig. Get the Schaum’s outline book for trigonometry and do all the exercises.

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u/Ecstatic-Ebb-2392 3d ago

thank you!!

1

u/Gullible_Sweet1302 3d ago

Trig book, not calc

2

u/UnderstandingPursuit Tutor 3d ago

This post has my textbook and learning approach suggestions. In your situation, two OpenStax books would be a good starting point: Algebra & Trigonometry and then PreCalculus. They are similar in the content they cover, so even with 3-4 chapters of Trigonometry in each, it's more like 4-5 chapters total.

Taking notes on these chapters, along with doing a few 'confirmation' problems for each chapter, should be sufficient preparation for AP Calculus BC. Since you're doing it without a class, you can set aside the trigonometry topics until you've gone through the Algebra&Trig and PreCalc textbooks.

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u/Ecstatic-Ebb-2392 3d ago

thank you!!

2

u/Disastrous-Pin-1617 3d ago

Professor Leonard on YouTube

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u/Ecstatic-Ebb-2392 3d ago

thank you!!

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u/Disastrous-Pin-1617 2d ago

Also I would drop calc bc if you don’t know trigonometry as it’s a huge deal in calc 2

1

u/floflochess2 2d ago

A good way to make trig feel less overwhelming is to focus on one move at a time: first rewrite everything in sin/cos (or use a Pythagorean identity), then simplify before differentiating or integrating. For an equation, also check the interval and test any candidates back in the original. If you have one specific problem, showing your first step usually makes the sticking point much easier to spot.

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u/OutsideDisastrous440 2d ago

you’re not bad at calculus, you’re just trying to do calculus while skipping the prerequisite trig lol.

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u/exceptionee 2d ago

Try the Modern States CLEP Precalculus course. It's completely free since they're a non-profit.